Jill Hamilton, president and founder of Fairfax, Virginia-based Sustainable Energy Strategies Inc. has announced Virginia and Maryland were selected as one of 20 projects in the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Biofuel Infrastructure Partnership (BIP) to give $100 million in grants to install ethanol refueling infrastructure in 21 states. SESI was integral in developing the grant proposal and has worked closely with the states on ethanol infrastructure and education in the region. Maryland and Virginia will partner with private sector companies to add 41 or more ethanol refueling stations and nearly 200 additional pumps throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. With 21 states and 20 projects, the Virginia-Maryland collaboration was the only multistate proposal selected. This regional project is receiving nearly $5 million in federal funds with partners contributing an additional $3 million for stations and pumps installations.
“SESI is very pleased to be supporting this ethanol infrastructure, education and marketing effort. We have fought for ethanol infrastructure funding and expansion on behalf of the farmers for many years. We are delighted with USDA’s announcement as it will double the number of public ethanol stations in the region,” says Hamilton.
“Maryland’s grain farmers have long supported projects to expand ethanol infrastructure. We will be using Maryland Grain Checkoff funds, as part of the grant match requirement, to generate greater public awareness of the opportunities for consumers to use higher blends,” says Lynne Hoot, executive director of the Maryland Grain Producers Utilization Board. “We hope that these educational efforts will maximize consumer awareness and usage for higher blends of ethanol, and the connection with local agricultural resources.”
According to a study (2010) by the University of Maryland, Agricultural and Resource Economics, the total economic impact of agriculture, forestry and agricultural industries on Maryland's economy is $8.25 billion in total output and $3 billion in value added. According to USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, total land in farms in Maryland is more than 2 million acres, or one-third of the state's entire land area.
